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New barcode scanner control

Headshot of article author Filip Karadzic

A new Barcode scanner control is now available for use in canvas apps, and we recommend it to anyone who needs to scan a barcodes, QR codes or data matrix codes on their mobile devices.

Why should you use the new control?

First, it is reliable and fast.  The new control automatically recognizes the type of barcode, QR code or data matrix code it sees, making it very simple to configure and use.  Finally, this is not an experimental control, but one we feel is worthy for use in production, and we intend to fully support it in the future.

View of barcode scanner on an iOS device
Barcode scanner on an iOS device

Notes:

  1. The new Barcode scanner control relies on the native abilities of the device for scanning.  This is what makes it fast and reliable but also supported in iOS and Android but not inside a web browser.
  2. Old barcode scanner control has been renamed to Web barcode scanner.  It is disabled by default and can be enabled in the experimental features settings.  We are keeping it around as it is currently the only way to scan barcodes in a web browser.
  3. The ScanBarcode experimental function has been removed from experimental settings.  The function will still work for existing apps, but those apps should be updated to use the new Barcode scanner control.  It is the same functionality underneath, and it will store the scanned value in the control, so it should be easier to use than the function.